Accountant - Liberia - The Youth Activity

Company Description

EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CENTER (EDC)

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a focus on vulnerable and under-served populations. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

EDC is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Job Description

Project Description

The goal of the five-year, $21 million, USAID-funded Youth Activity in Liberia is that 21,000 targeted youth, ages 15-29, will have increased economic self-reliance and resilience through a range of sustainable opportunities, tools, and support systems that enable them to improve their livelihoods and increase their abilities to contribute as both economically- and socially- productive and engaged family and community members.

USAID/Liberia expects that through this program, targeted youth will improve knowledge, skills, and attitudes that strengthen their abilities to earn a sustainable livelihood, increase their incomes, and practice healthy behaviors as productive members of society. The Youth Activity will include formal employment, non-formal employment, and entrepreneurship as critical focus areas. In addition, the enabling environment that supports youth livelihoods development in Liberia will be improved. The Youth Activity will achieve active engagement and commitment of formal employers, non-formal employers, and the private sector in support of youth livelihoods development. The outcome of this engagement will be the placement of targeted youth in hands-on opportunities for apprenticeships, internships, or long-term employment. The Youth Activity will also increase targeted youth's access to finance; improve livelihoods market linkages; and develop personal networks that enable targeted youth to access assets and navigate the job market.

Position Description

The Accountant will assist the Director of Finance and Operations in successfully completing the financial duties required for the project. These duties will include budgeting, procurement oversight, and records management. This position will be responsible for preparing timely and accurate financial reporting and assisting in the preparation of monthly financial spreadsheets, cash flow forecasts, data entry, corresponding with vendors as appropriate, and ensuring the office follows EDC and USAID financial policies and procedures. This position is based in Monrovia.

Essential Functions:

• Responsible for the processing of financial transactions and the application of proper accounting principles and standards, internal controls and financial file management; maintenance of QuickBooks; generation of monthly financial reports and general support to project activities.
• Support the Director of Finance and Operations and Grants Manager in ensuring compliance with the requirements of USAID award. Additionally, support the Director of Finance and Operations and Grants Manager in conducting day-to-day finance operations, including implementation of EDC and USAID policies, procedures and systems, as well as preparing and submit the monthly cash forecast to the Director of Finance and Operations and Grants Manager for consolidation.
• Assist the Director of Finance and Operations and Grants Manager to produce and disseminate monthly financial performance reports against budget for use and guidance of The Youth Activity management team and other concerned employees, in a timely and accurate manner.
• Demonstrate a high level of professionalism and ethics when dealing with sensitive and confidential documents and information, and with co-workers and EDC partners.
• Prepare check and journal vouchers, ensuring accuracy of account codes and completeness of supporting documents.
• Posting of all financial data into QuickBooks and participate in monthly and yearly accounts closure of QuickBooks.
• Ensure that all payments adhere to EDC Policies and Procedures manual.
• Prepares and submits monthly reconciliation and all month end reports for review by the Director of Finance and Operations.
• Monitors and reports on vendor payment schedules and obligations - inclusive of tracking leases for the EDC office in Liberia.
• Review the work of the Administrative Assistant using the finance checklists to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance with EDC policies and procedures.
• Prepare weekly cash needs forecasts for review by the Director of Finance and Operations and approval by the Chief of Party and follow up with Home Office for wire transfer.
• Provide first level review of all invoices, advances and reimbursements, cheques, wire transfer payments and Local Purchase Orders for approval and processing ensuring accuracy and timely execution.
• Upload all financial supporting documentation on Box monthly.
• Support in-house payroll processing and/or work with payroll vendor, ensuring leave balances, taxes, NASSCORP etc. are accurately recorded, and paid, and escalate to the Director of Finance and Operations all unresolved matters.
• Ensure the safeguard of cheques and all-important office documents such as vehicle licenses, contracts, and leases in conjunction with Director of Finance and Operations.
• Work with Grants manager and Administrative Assistant to ensure that invoices are paid in a timely manner and escalate any delays of vendor payments/other issues to the Director of Finance and Operations.
• Maintain and closely monitor accurate cashbooks for all the bank accounts ensuring that the project is liquid all the time, and before payments are released. Forecast weekly payment and submit to the Director of Finance and Operations to negotiate exchange rate for transfers from the Dollar account.
• Ensure adherence to internal controls and making recommendations for improvements where areas of internal control weaknesses are identified.
• Work with the Director of Finance and Operations to track actual expenditures against forecasts.
• Assist Finance and Operations Director in preparing for all internal and external audits and participate in the audit process.
• Prepare reports for monthly journal entries to be performed by the Director of Finance and Operations
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Director of Finance and Operations.

Please Note: This position is not eligible for relocation or posting allowances and the salary will be paid in Liberian Dollars.

The candidate for the position of Accountant shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Qualifications

Education:

Minimum of a bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, or related field. Additional accounting certification preferred, e.g. Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA); Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

Skills and Experience Requirements:

• A minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible accounting experience working on large, complex, donor funded international development projects;
• Extensive experience in financial management of USAID funded projects of a similar scope and size , strong understanding of USG compliance rules and regulations (including FAR and AIDAR acquisition regulations);
• Extensive experience in reviewing financial reports;
• Knowledge of and experience with financial accounting software including QuickBooks accounting system. High degree of proficiency in relevant software packages such as Adobe, MS Word, Excel etc.;
• Demonstrated leadership skills, versatility, integrity, high level of ethics, excellent organizational, analytical, interpersonal, and oral and written communication skills, and ability to work well independently, as a team member and within a fast-paced work environment;
• Excellent people skills at all levels, cultural sensitivity, ability to work well under pressure, ability to negotiate diplomatically, as well as the ability to work well in a multicultural and multi-disciplinary work environment;
• Demonstrated willingness to travel to counties for project needs.

Language:

Professional level fluency in English, both written and oral required.

Additional Information

Job closing date: August 2, 2021

EDC is committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.